Elevator-control apparatus



Se t. 11, 1928. 1,683,925

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H. w. SHONNARD ELEVATOR CONTROL LAPPARATUS Original Filed Feb. 9; 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

fi araid aha/1r) afar ATTO Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HAROLD W. SHONNARD, OF UPPER MONTCLAIR, NEW JEBSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ELEVATOR SUPPLIES COMPANY, INC., OF HOBOKEI'T, llE-W JERSEY, A CORPORATIOlIOF NEW JERSEY.

Original application filed February 9, 1926, Serial No 86 986. Divided and this application filed October 19,

1927. Serial No. 227,173.

The present invention relates to an improved form of automatic door closers for use in connection with the doors or gates used at the various floors along an elevator shaft, as well as to certain improvements in the appa ratus for controlling the electric safety circuits largely used in elevator practice in connection with the doors atv the various One of the objects of this invention is the provision of an improved type of electric switch and operating means therefor. This improved switch being of the type generally designated as a master switch, the function of which is to control the opening and closing of a safety circuit controlling the operation of the elevatorhoisting mechanlsm.

This application is a division. of my former application Serial No. 86,986 filed February 9th, 1926, which matured into a Patent Numswitch, Figure 2 is a similar view of one side of the door when in open position, Fig

ure 3 is an end view of the same and Figure 4 is a view in elevation on a largerscale of my preferred master safety switch.

In Figures 1 and 2 the two sliding doors at a given floor on an elevator shaft are shown at 10 and 11. The door 10 is suspendedfrom hangers 12 adapted to roll along the guide bar or rail 13.

Above the level of the doors and at one' in which the door closing element proper IS combined with means for checking the final door movement in both opening and closing to prevent slamming. This is a well known device the details of which are not a part of the present invention. I

A supporting plate 15 is fixed to the outer face of the door closer 14, and extends down along one side of the door opening. as shown to a point about opposite the middle of the doors 10 and 11.

The sliding back and forth of the. door 10 is accomplished bymeans of the locking tongle arms 16 and 17, pivotally connected with the doors 10 and 19, and the arm 17 is similarly connected with and supported by the plates 15 and 20. An extension 21 of the arm 16 forms a handle whereby the toggle arms are manually brought into'the position shown. in Figure 2 in opening the door. 7

The closing of the. door is accomplished in a well known manner by means within the closer 14, which act through the arm 22, and the connecting bar 23 pivotally attached at one end to the arm 24 fixed at the other to an arm 24 fixed to the toggle arm 17. When the door is opened, as in Figure 2, the swinging catch 25 maybe brought under a stop 26 to lock the parts in openposition, preventing operation of the door closer.

As clearlyshown in Figure 3, the sliding door 10, when in open position, moves under the door closer 14, and between the wall and the support plate 15. This is made possible by locating the supporting plate 15 on the outer face of the door closer, as shown and described. r i

At the bottom oi. Figure 3 is shown the sill plate, and from inspection of the vertical dotted line in Figure 3, it will be seen that my invention makes it possible for the. doors and all the working parts'c'onneoted there with to beaccommodated within asp-ace in-- side of the shaft wall no wider than the sill 27.

.fThe features of. this mechanism just referred to. form the subject matter of the claims in 1ny former application above referred to. y I i In many elevators, depending upon electric currents for operation it is customary to employ a master switch or interlock, generally near the top ofthe shaft, which insures the shutting of all doors before starting the elevator cage, by keeping the operative circuit open until the doors are shut. These are generally operated by a cable extending down alongside of the shaft and operatively connecting with a switch, the cable having a weight attached to it. If the cable breaks One feature of my invention is a means for operating the master switch so contrived that if the cable breaks or the counterweight on the cable is disconnected, the switch will automatically go to open circuit position and the elevator cannot be moved. v

- The switch 28 may be of any well known construction the details of which are not here nected both with the arm 29 and the wheel 31. To further carry out this purpose nuts 30 are provided at one end of rod 30 where it is oined to the wheel 31 so as to permit the adjustment of the rod on the wheel after which the rod is made fast by means of the nuts 30.

Opposite each door in the shaft, the cord, rope or chain 32 carries a'ball 34, or equivalent device, capable of engaging with an arm on the connecting bar 23 operated by the door closer. l/Vhen the doors are closed, as in Figure 1, the arm 35 descends, permitting the weight 33 to move the cord, tape or chain downward and turn the wheel 31 so as to bring the arm 29 into the position shown in Figure 4, which close-s circuit in the switch and permits the elevator to move.

A counterweight 36, the purpose of which will appear later, is mounted on a rod 36 along which it may be adjusted and held in place by means oi the bolt or screw 36. This construction permits of a changeable leverage for the counterweight so that no new weight need be used when the device is applied to different systems. The rod 36 is removably mounted on the wheel 31 by means of screws 36. This removable feature of the rod 36 on the wheel 31 allows the counterweight to be put in place or to be replaced whenever this is found necessary or advisable.

When the door is opened as in Figure 2, the arm 35 lifts the ball 34 and weight 33, allowing the weight 36 on the wheel 31 to turn said wheel clockwise and so bring the arm 29 into the position shown in Figure 2. This opens the circuit and prevents operation of the ele of my invention, which is not limited to the details herein shown and described; the invention herein protected being limited only to the extent of the express limitations set forth in the claims. 1

lVhat I claim is r 1. In an elevator system, an electric switch adapted to control the operation of the car,

a wheel, adjustable means connecting said wheel and switch, a weighted cable on said wheel having one end fastened thereto, means at the various floor of the elevator shaft adapted to operate the wheel and switch through said cable, and automatic means for 'moving the wheel and switch into safety position comprising a counterweight removably and adjustably mounted on said wheel.

'2. In a system for an elevator adapted to travel past a plurality of landings, means for selectively controlling the door at each landing, means for preventing movement of the elevator when any one of said doors is open comprising a safety switch, means tendingto move said switch to theopen position including an arm for operating said switch, a wheel, an adjustable connection between said arm and wheel and an adjustable counterweight removablymounted on said wheel, counterbalancing means for normally preventing the effective operation of said last named means comprising a weighted cable passing around said wheel and having one end secured there- 'to, and means 'forrendering said counterbalancing means lnetlective upon operat on of said door controlling means. 7

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, this 18th day of October, A. D. 1927.

I HAROLD w. SHONNARD. 

